Glen Canyon Dam on 19 June 2005.

Glen Canyon Dam

Glen Canyon Dam is a dam on the Colorado River at Page, Arizona. The dam has been controversial since its inception, because it caused the flooding of Glen Canyon to create a man-made reservoir, Lake Powell. Image File history File links Glencanyondam. ... Image File history File links Glencanyondam. ... Download high resolution version (1000x653, 97 KB)Image taken in April 2004 by Daniel Mayer. ... Download high resolution version (1000x653, 97 KB)Image taken in April 2004 by Daniel Mayer. ... Scrivener Dam, in Canberra, Australia, was engineered to withstand a once-in-5000-years flood event A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundment. ... Colorado River in the Grand Canyon from Desert View The Colorado River is a river in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 mi (2,333 km) long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. ... Page is a city located in Coconino County, Arizona near Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. ... Gelmersee is a reservoir in Switzerland. ... Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona. ...

The dam is 1,560 feet long along its crest, 300 feet thick at the base and 25 feet thick at the top. Its height above the Colorado River is 587 feet. Eight Francis type hydroelectric generators give it a generating capacity of 1,300 MW. Francis turbine (courtsey Voith-Siemens). ... Hydroelectric dam diagram The waters of Llyn Stwlan, the upper reservoir of the Ffestiniog Pumped-Storage Scheme in north Wales, can just be glimpsed on the right. ... The megawatt (symbol: MW) is a unit for measuring power corresponding to one million (106) watts. ...

Runner on display at Glen Canyon Dam.

Its construction began in 1956. Although the dam was not dedicated until 1966, it was able to begin blocking the flow of the river in 1963. Image File history File links Turbine_runner_glen_canyon. ... Image File history File links Turbine_runner_glen_canyon. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ...

The Sierra Club and other environmental organizations opposed the original plan for damming the Colorado River. When the plan was modified by the elimination of other proposed dams, however, the Sierra Club dropped its objection to the Glen Canyon Dam. Its then Executive Director, David R. Brower, later called this decision one of the biggest mistakes of his career: The Sierra Club is an American environmental organization founded on May 28, 1892 in San Francisco, California by the well-known conservationist John Muir, who became its first president. ... Environmentalism is the support of or involvement with the environmental movement by environmentalists. ... David Ross Brower (July 1, 1912 – November 5, 2000) was the founder of many environmentalist organizations including the Sierra Club Foundation, the John Muir Institute for Environmental Studies, Friends of the Earth (1969), the League of Conservation Voters, Earth Island Institute (1982), North Cascades Conservation Council, and Fate of the...

"Glen Canyon died, and I was partly responsible for its needless death. Neither you nor I, nor anyone else, knew it well enough to insist that at all costs it should endure. When we began to find out it was too late."

(From The Place No One Knew, a Sierra Club book published in 1963)

Senator Barry Goldwater, who fought for funds to complete the dam, also later called its construction a mistake. Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 1, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was a United States politician and a founding figure in the modern conservative movement in the USA and a major inspiration for many of his youthful followers to join the libertarian movement. ...

The dam has continued to attract opposition. In the novel The Monkey Wrench Gang, by Edward Abbey, the protagonists believe strongly that the dam has ruined the river. Since 1996, the Sierra Club has called for increasing the release of water, so that a more natural flow of the river is restored and Lake Powell is gradually drained. Dream Garden Press hardcover edition with a cover illustration by Robert Crumb The Monkey Wrench Gang is a novel written by American author Edward Abbey (1927-1989), published in 1975. ... Edward Paul Abbey (January 29, 1927 - March 14, 1989) was an American author and essayist noted for his criticism of public land policies and advocacy of environmental issues. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

The US Geological Survey has posted a large,comprehensive gallery of Glen Canyon images

It is on their National Park Geology 2D&3D megasite,under: Glen Canyon Recreational Area sub-section.

This collection is a remarkable adjunct to the pictorial content of this article. Pictures are extremely clear, with or without the 3D glasses, as both types of images are available for each view.

[1] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1115x392, 190 KB) Summary Public domain images from USGS (government agency) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1115x392, 190 KB) Summary Public domain images from USGS (government agency) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Controversy surrounds the dam

Owing to this dam, there has not been the periodic flooding that would wash away and renew sand banks along that portion of the Colorado River that transited the Grand Canyon. Because of the stability of the sand banks, several non-native species of plants became established, adversely affecting the native wildlife. However, it should also be noted that an endangered species, willow flycatcher, has been finding a new home in many of these non-native plant species. These problems have been recently addressed by the experimental periodic releases of large amounts of water, which appeared at first to have had a beneficial effect upon the downstream ecosystem. The results of an experimental flood in early 2005 were mixed. On a positive note, new beaches were built for the rafting industry and the natural sandbars that species in the area depend on were partially restored. Negatively, however, excessive silt was flushed into Lake Mead reducing its capacity as a reservoir and recreation area, and at least half the population of an endangered fish species was lost during the flood. Biologists are not sure the population will ever recover. The Grand Canyon, as seen from river-level The Grand Canyon from inside For other Grand Canyons see Grand Canyon (disambiguation). ... In ecology, the word ecosystem is an abbreviation of the term, ecological system. ...

Completed in 1964, Glen Canyon Dam bridge is 1,721 feet long and about 700 feet over the Colorado River. Before the bridge, it was a 192 mile drive to the other side of the canyon.

Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam

Download high resolution version (1227x855, 366 KB)I took this pic of the Glen Canyon Dam bridge in May 2002. ... Download high resolution version (1227x855, 366 KB)I took this pic of the Glen Canyon Dam bridge in May 2002. ... Download high resolution version (960x1280, 442 KB)I took this pic of the Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam bridge in May 2002. ... Download high resolution version (960x1280, 442 KB)I took this pic of the Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam bridge in May 2002. ...

The Colorado River from the bottom of Marble Canyon, in the Upper Grand Canyon Colorado River in the Grand Canyon from Desert View The Colorado River is a river in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 mi (2,330 km) long, draining a part of the... Scrivener Dam, in Canberra, Australia, was engineered to withstand a once-in-5000-years flood event A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundment. ... Pont du Gard, France, a Roman era aqueduct circa 19 BC, it is one of Frances top tourist attractions at over 1. ... The United States Bureau of Reclamation (Formerly the United States Reclamation Service) is a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior which oversees water development projects in the western United States. ... The Shadow Mountain Dam is a Zoned Earthfill Dam on the Colorado River in Grand County, Colorado. ... The Granby Dam is an earthfill dam that dams the Colorado River 5. ... Hoover Dam Hoover Dam (, ) is a concrete gravity-arch dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between Arizona and Nevada. ... The Davis Dam is a dam on the Colorado River. ... Parker Dam is a concrete gravity-arch dam which spans the Colorado river, at a point 155 miles downstream of Hoover Dam. ... The Imperial Dam is a dam near Yuma, Arizona (USA), built in the 1930s. ... The Laguna Diversion Dam is an earthfill dam 13 miles Northeast of Yuma, Arizona creating the Laguna Reservior along the Colorado River. ... The Morelos Dam is the final dam on the Colorado River. ... Colorado River Aqueduct The Colorado River Aqueduct is a 242-mi (392 km) water conveyance in southern California in the United States. ... The Central Arizona Project Aqueduct (CAP) is a 336 mi (541 km) diversion canal in Arizona in the United States. ... The All-American Canal brings Colorado River water to the Imperial Valley in California. ... Colorado River in the Grand Canyon from Desert View The Colorado River is a river in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 mi (2,333 km) long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. ... White Goat Wilderness Area, Alberta, Canada The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... Grand Lake is a natural lake, one of the headwaters of the Colorado River in Grand County, Colorado. ... Sonoran Desert wildlife Mountains in the Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert (sometimes also called Gila Desert after Gila River) is a North American desert which straddles part of the U.S.-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the Mexican state... Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert (Mojave is used for the desert while Mohave is used for the native people) occupies a significant portion of southern California and smaller parts of southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona, in the United States. ... The Imperial Valley and the Salton Sea, as seen from the Space shuttle. ... The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateaus Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. ... The Grand Canyon, as seen from river-level The Grand Canyon from inside For other Grand Canyons see Grand Canyon (disambiguation). ... Glen Canyon was Link titleLink titleLink titleLink titleLink titleLink titleLink titleLink titleLink titleLink titlecarved by two rivers, the Colorado River and the San Juan River. ... Marble Canyon is the section of the Colorado River canyon from Glen Canyon Dam to the confluence with the Little Colorado River, which marks the beginning of the Grand Canyon. ... A backpacker at the confluence of Buckskin Gulch and the Paria River. ... The Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez or Sea of Cortés; locally known in the Spanish language as Mar de Cortés or, much less frequently, Golfo de California) is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. ... The Salton Sea (with local/regional cities) The Salton Sea is an inland saline lake, located in the Colorado Desert in Southern California, north of the Imperial Valley. ... A tributary (or affluent or confluent) is a contributory stream, a river that does not reach the sea, but joins another major river (a parent river), to which it contributes its waters, swelling its discharge. ... The Dirty Devil River near Twin Corral Box Canyon The Dirty Devil River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 80 mi (129 km) long, in south central Utah in the United States. ... The Dolores River, a tributary of the Colorado, is shown highlighted on a map of the western United States The Dolores River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 250 mi (402 km) long, in the U.S. states of Colorado and Utah. ... The Escalante River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 90 mi (145 km) long, in southern Utah. ... The Gila River, a tributary of the Colorado, is shown highlighted on a map of the United States The Gila River (Oodham [Pima]: Hila Akimel) is a tributary of the Colorado River, 630 mile (1,014 km) long, in the southwestern United States. ... The Green River, a tributary of the Colorado, is shown highlighted on a map of the western United States. ... The Gunnison River, a tributary of the Colorado River, is shown highlighted on a map of the western United States The Gunnison River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 180 mi (290 km) long, in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... The Little Colorado River is shown highlighted on a map of the United States The Little Colorado River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 315 mi (507 km) long, in the U.S. state of Arizona. ... A backpacker at the confluence of Buckskin Gulch and the Paria River. ... Categories: Stub | Colorado rivers | Utah rivers ... The Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado, is shown highlighted on a map of the southwestern United States The Virgin River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 200 mi (322 km) long, in the southwestern United States. ... Flaming Gorge Reservoir lies 43 miles (69 km) East of Vernal, Utah on the Green River (Utah). ... Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona. ... Lake Mead from space, November 1985 Lake Mead is the largest man-made lake and reservoir in the United States. ... Lake Havasu is the reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado river. ... Official language(s) None Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 6th 295,254 km² 500 km 645 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 402. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 8th 269 837 km² 451 km 612 km 0. ... Official language(s) None Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 7th 286,367 km² 519 km 788 km 0. ... Official language(s) None, English, Spanish(de facto) Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 5th 315,194 km² 550 km 595 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 13th 219,887 km² 435 km 565 km 3. ... The Colorado River Compact is a 1922 agreement among seven U.S. states in the basin of the Colorado River in the American Southwest governing the allocation of the rivers water among the parties of the interstate compact. ... Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Glen Canyon NRA) is a recreation and conservation unit of the National Park Service that encompasses the area around Lake Powell in Utah and Arizona, covering 1,254,429 acres (5,076 km²) of mostly desert. ... Lake Mead National Recreation Area is located in southern Nevada and northern Arizona. ...

External links

• Glen Canyon Dam National Recreation Area
• Glen Canyon Dam page from the Bureau of Reclamation
• Images of Glen Canyon before it was flooded
• Article by David Brower on restoring Glen Canyon
• The Glen Canyon Institute
• Glen Canyon Dam on Google Maps